The Five Best Reasons to Be an Active Mom-to-Be

When push comes to push, fit child bearers could have an advantage. Pregnant women who were able to do moderate- to high-intensity aerobic workouts for 12 to 16 minutes experienced deliveries that were shorter by about 30 minutes than their less fit counterparts, a study in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica notes. "Delivery is very physical. If you are in good shape, your body may have an easier time pushing," says James M. Pivarnik, Ph.D., author of the pregnancy section of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.